The present invention pertains to an electrical digital computer machine and a data processing system, methods involving the same and products produced thereby, as well as data structures and articles of manufacture pertaining thereto, pertaining to computerized aspects of financial fields of creating and servicing financial instruments, securities exchanges, exchange trading and financial markets. More particularly, this invention relates to a digital electrical data processing system for an improved process for converting constant-dollar financial instruments into equivalent nominal-dollar instruments and connected electrical digital computer apparatus, including a service digital electrical computer apparatus.
Even more particularly, this invention finds utility extending at least to the following: (1) creating and servicing financial instruments; (2) trading, matching, or bidding; (3) credit (risk) processing and credit transactions; (4) associated document generating; and further to (5) point of sale terminal activity, and (6) having security or user identification provision (password entry, etc.); as well as (7) price determination; (8) interconnecting terminals; (9) inventory monitoring; (10) electronic shopping; (11) inventory management; (12) accounting, (13) such as bill or statement preparation.
Preferred-return constant-dollar financial instruments have the ability to shift the risk-return tradeoff for investors, enabling investors to increase their returns while reducing their risk. Constant-dollar instruments also have the ability to increase cash flow and reduce default risk for funds users, thus increasing their returns and reducing their risk. However, before preferred-return constant-dollar instruments can be employed, they must be converted into equivalent nominal-dollar instruments.
In the prior art, there is a disclosed process (U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,500) for the exact conversion of preferred-return constant-dollar instruments into equivalent nominal-dollar instruments. The inventors of the present invention have improved this disclosed process by eliminating a step that was considered to be vital in the disclosed process. The present invention also significantly simplifies the conversion process.
In addition to eliminating a step that was considered vital and simplifying the disclosed process, the inventors of the present invention have added the connection of one or more second digital computer apparatus to the first digital computer apparatus that converts constant-dollar instruments into equivalent nominal-dollar instruments. The functions of these second digital computer apparatus include: (1) servicing the equivalent nominal-dollar instruments; (2) trading the equivalent nominal-dollar instruments; (3) brokering the purchase and sale of the equivalent nominal-dollar instruments; (4) credit rating the equivalent nominal-dollar instruments; (5) calculating financial data on the equivalent nominal-dollar instruments for the issuer; (6) calculating financial and portfolio data on the equivalent nominal-dollar instruments for owners of the securities; and, (7) reporting on the equivalent nominal-dollar instruments.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved process for computerized conversion of preferred-return constant-dollar financial instruments into equivalent nominal-dollar instruments.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a first digital electrical computer apparatus including a digital computer having a processor, the processor electrically connected to a memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to an input device for receiving input data and converting the input data into input electrical data, and to an output device for converting output electrical data into output having a visual presentation, the processor being controlled by a program to form circuitry in the processor for controlling the apparatus to receive the input data and to produce the output data.
It is yet another object of the present invention to compute with said apparatus to convert the input electrical data to the output electrical data corresponding to characteristics of an equivalent nominal dollar instrument, the computing including computing a nominal payment schedule for the nominal dollar instrument wherein the process does not essentially include a step using a standard convention for expressing an interest rate or rate of return to determine the characteristics of the equivalent nominal dollar instrument.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to generate, by computer means, documentation of the nominal dollar instrument including at least some of the computed characteristics for the nominal dollar instrument.
It is yet an additional object of the present invention to compute to convert a constant dollar instrument into an equivalent nominal dollar instrument wherein the process does not include a step using a standard convention for expressing an interest rate or rate of return to determine the characteristics of the equivalent nominal dollar instrument.
It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide means for inputting an inflation measure, a base period for the inflation measure, a frequency of adjustment, and at least two from a group consisting of a price, a real interest rate, a payment period, a real payment schedule and a real amortization schedule.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a computerized means for computing (alternatively or in any combination) a price for the nominal dollar instrument, a real payment schedule and/or a payment period.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a computerized means for comparing a payment period to an adjustment period, and if the payment period is not less than the adjustment period, then computing the nominal payment schedule using an inflation period, then computing a real rate of interest for the adjustment period; computing a modified real payment schedule with a modified payment period equal to the adjustment period and with a present value of payments equal to a price; computing a modified nominal payment schedule equivalent to the modified real payment schedule using the inflation measure and the inflation base period; computing an inflation rate for the adjustment period; computing a nominal interest rate for the adjustment period using the inflation rate for the adjustment period and the real interest rate for the adjustment period; computing a nominal interest rate for the payment period using the payment period and the adjustment period; and computing the nominal payment schedule from the modified nominal payment schedule using the nominal interest rate for the payment period and the nominal interest rate for the adjustment period.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide computerized means for generating documentation including (alternatively or in any combination) a price, a nominal payment schedule, a nominal interest rate, nominal interest amounts, and/or a nominal amortization schedule.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a service digital electrical computer apparatus including a service digital computer having a service processor, the service processor electrically connected to a service memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to a service input device for receiving service input data and converting the service input data into service input electrical data, and to a service output device for converting service output electrical data into service output having a service visual presentation, the service processor being controlled by a service program to form service circuitry in the service processor for controlling the service apparatus to receive the service input data and to produce the service output data; inputting, as a portion of the second input data, the characteristics of the equivalent nominal dollar instrument, payments for the equivalent nominal dollar instrument, and inflation measure data; computing a future payment amount for the equivalent nominal dollar instrument; and generating output including future payment amount for the equivalent nominal dollar instrument.
It is moreover another object of the present invention to provide a trading digital electrical computer apparatus including a trading digital computer having a trading processor, the trading processor electrically connected to a trading memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to a trading input device for receiving trading input data and converting the trading input data into trading input electrical data, and to a trading output device for converting trading output electrical data into trading output having a trading visual presentation, the trading processor being controlled by a trading program to form trading circuitry in the trading processor for controlling the trading apparatus to receive the trading input data and to produce the trading output data; inputting, as a portion of the trading input data, purchase orders and sell orders for the equivalent nominal dollar instrument; computing, from the input electrical data, a real interest rate for the equivalent nominal dollar instrument; computing, from the real interest rate, a price for the equivalent nominal dollar instrument; and generating output including trade confirmation documentation, including the price, for any trade of the equivalent nominal dollar instrument.
It is additionally still another object of the present invention to provide a broker""s digital electrical computer apparatus including a broker""s digital computer having a broker""s processor, the broker""s processor electrically connected to a broker""s memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to a broker""s input device for receiving broker""s input data and converting the broker""s input data into broker""s input electrical data, and to a broker""s output device for converting broker""s output electrical data into broker""s output having a broker""s visual presentation, the broker""s processor being controlled by a broker""s program to form broker""s circuitry in the broker""s processor for controlling the broker""s apparatus to receive the broker""s input data and to produce the broker""s output data; inputting, as a portion of the broker""s input data, purchase orders and sell orders for the equivalent nominal dollar instrument; inputting, as a further portion of the broker""s input data, a member from the group consisting of a price and a real interest rate, for the equivalent nominal dollar instrument;
if the member is the real interest rate, then computing a price from the input electrical data, and if the member is the price, then computing the real interest rate from the input electrical data; computing, from the real interest rate, a price for the equivalent nominal dollar instrument; and generating output including trade confirmation documentation, including the price, for any trade of the equivalent nominal dollar instrument.
It is even more an object of the present invention to provide a credit rating agency""s digital electrical computer apparatus including a credit rating agency""s digital computer having a credit rating agency""s processor, the credit rating agency""s processor electrically connected to a credit rating agency""s memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to a credit rating agency""s input device for receiving credit rating agency""s input data and converting the credit rating agency""s input data into credit rating agency""s input electrical data, and to a credit rating agency""s output device for converting credit rating agency""s output electrical data into credit rating agency""s output having a credit rating agency""s visual presentation, the credit rating agency""s processor being controlled by a credit rating agency""s program to form credit rating agency""s circuitry in the credit rating agency""s processor for controlling the credit rating agency""s apparatus to receive the credit rating agency""s input data and to produce the credit rating agency""s output data; inputting, as a portion of the credit rating agency""s input data, the computed characteristics for the nominal dollar instrument; inputting, as a further portion of the credit rating agency""s input data, issuer financial data; computing, from the credit rating agency""s input data, a rating for the nominal dollar instrument that reflects a probability of a default by the issuer; and generating output including the rating for the nominal dollar instrument.
It is even moreover an object of the present invention to provide a issuer""s digital electrical computer apparatus including a issuer""s digital computer having a issuer""s processor, the issuer""s processor electrically connected to a issuer""s memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to a issuer""s input device for receiving issuer""s input data and converting the issuer""s input data into issuer""s input electrical data, and to a issuer""s output device for converting issuer""s output electrical data into issuer""s output having a issuer""s visual presentation, the issuer""s processor being controlled by a issuer""s program to form issuer""s circuitry in the issuer""s processor for controlling the issuer""s apparatus to receive the issuer""s input data and to produce the issuer""s output data; inputting, as a portion of the issuer""s input data, the computed characteristics for the nominal dollar instrument; inputting, as a further portion of the issuer""s input data, an amount of the nominal dollar instrument for issue and a date for the issue; computing, from the issuer""s input data and subsequent to issuance of the amount of the nominal dollar instrument, an interest sum for the amount of the nominal dollar instrument issued; and generating output including the interest sum for the nominal dollar instrument.
It is even moreover an object of the present invention to provide a securities owner""s digital electrical computer apparatus including a securities owner""s digital computer having a securities owner""s processor, the securities owner""s processor electrically connected to a securities owner""s memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to a securities owner""s input device for receiving securities owner""s input data and converting the securities owner""s input data into securities owner""s input electrical data, and to a securities owner""s output device for converting securities owner""s output electrical data into securities owner""s output having a securities owner""s visual presentation, the securities owner""s processor being controlled by a securities owner""s program to form securities owner""s circuitry in the securities owner""s processor for controlling the securities owner""s apparatus to receive the securities owner""s input data and to produce the securities owner""s output data; inputting, as a portion of the securities owner""s input data, (alternatively or in any combination) the computed characteristics for the nominal dollar instrument, a book amount of the nominal dollar instrument, issuer payments received, and/or a current real rate of interest for the nominal dollar instrument; computing, (alternatively or in any combination) from the securities owner""s input data, an interest sum and a principle balance for the nominal dollar instrument, a value for a portfolio including the amount of the nominal dollar instrument, and/or a price for the nominal dollar instrument; and generating output including (alternatively or in any combination) the interest sum and the principle balance for the nominal dollar instrument, the value for the portfolio, and/or the price for the nominal dollar instrument.
Furthermore, it is moreover an object of the present invention to provide a reporting digital electrical computer apparatus including a reporting digital computer having a reporting processor, the reporting processor electrically connected to a reporting memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to a reporting input device for receiving reporting input data and converting the reporting input data into reporting input electrical data, and to a reporting output device for converting reporting output electrical data into reporting output having a reporting visual presentation, the reporting processor being controlled by a reporting program to form reporting circuitry in the reporting processor for controlling the reporting apparatus to receive the reporting input data and to produce the reporting output data; inputting, as a portion of the reporting input data, information output by at least one of said output data for the nominal dollar instrument; generating, from the reporting input data, a reformatted version of the reporting input data; communicating, by digital means, a transmission of the reformatted version of the reporting input data; and generating output at a recipient receiver device of the reformatted version of the reporting input data.